Mechanisms for coupling vehicles to surfaces are used to securely attach vehicles to surfaces. Such coupling mechanisms include aircraft docking systems which secure aircraft to surfaces after landing to prevent further movement of the aircraft, in order to enable refuelling and transport of the vehicle. An example of such a situation is in the secure attachment of aircraft to the deck of a boat following landing of the aircraft on the boat. Similarly, coupling mechanisms can be used for attaching objects to vehicles, to enable the vehicle to securely transport coupled objects.
In many situations, such as when aircraft are coupled to ships in high sea states, secure coupling is essential to ensure that the aircraft does not move relative to the ship, as any movement can cause damage to the coupled vehicle and/or surrounding equipment or personnel. Moreover, where coupling mechanisms are used to enable vehicles to transport objects, it is important to ensure that the coupled object(s) are securely attached with no risk of unplanned decoupling.
A typical coupling mechanism will use a “lock and key” or “latch and receiver” type mechanism, where at least part of the vehicle will securely interface with a surface, restricting further movement of the vehicle until the interface is released. Such systems typically require careful alignment of vehicle and surface to ensure the coupling mechanism correctly engages. Such alignment sensitive systems present considerable difficulties for unmanned vehicles, especially when the unmanned vehicle is landing on a boat moving under the influence of the sea state or a land vehicle moving over rough terrain. In such cases, the required pre or post landing movement needed to ensure correct alignment for coupling is often impractical and dangerous.
Alternative, or in some cases complimentary, coupling mechanisms use pneumatic or hydraulic means to provide a sufficiently strong coupling force. However, these systems add significant weight to the coupled vehicle. For light vehicles this added weight comprises a considerable proportion of the mass of the vehicle, which in many cases makes pneumatic and hydraulic coupling mechanisms impractical.
There therefore exists a need for an improved coupling mechanism, in particular a coupling mechanism suitable for use in unmanned light vehicles such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).